What is a 3D Pen?

Whether you are a casual
design enthusiast or a full-time engineer, chances are that you’ve heard of 3D
pens. If you’re looking to learn more about them or just want to know which one
to buy, keep reading because this article is for you! A 3D pen is a device
which fits in the human hand and extrudes a material as the user drags it
forward, backward, left, right, and yes, even up and down. This is the main
revolution of the 3D pen, and what makes them noteworthy. Unlike every other
writing device in history, 3D pens can draw in three dimensions, no longer
restricted to the two dimensions of a surface plane. Check out the video below
to see it in action:

As you could imagine, this
technology has amazing possibilities, and the best part is that people from
various disciplines will all see different possibilities and use the 3D pen
differently. A product designer might see the pen as a great portable prototyping
tool, which could be used to create quick 3D sketches of an idea anywhere that
they happen to be. An artist might use the 3D pen to create beautiful
sculptures, such as the ones in the pictures below. A teacher might bring the
3D pen into the classroom to let their students explore design concepts in a
physical and real-time way. A fashion designer might even use the 3D pen to
make new and innovative designs for clothing (also pictured below)

How Does a 3D Pen
Work?

A 3D pen works by heating
and then extruding a material from the point of the pen onto a surface or onto
itself. It only works with certain materials, which are sold in spools or rods.
The pen pushes the filament through the pen using mechanized rollers and then
heats the material to an optimal temperature in order to very temporarily
liquify it for extrusion. The idea is to heat the filament for just enough time
to make it malleable for use, but not so long that the drawing process is slow,
or that the structures the user makes will collapse because the filament cannot
solidify. Ideally, the 3D pen will heat the filament for only a few seconds.
This process will vary from pen to pen and filament to filament, but the basic
principle is the same.

3D Pen Filaments

The most popular materials are ABS and PLA. ABS, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, is a widely-used thermoplastic. It is made from oil and emits a chemical odor when used. It is, however, stronger than PLA and extrudes a bit thicker. PLA is plant-based, and is therefore biodegradable. It emits a sweet smell and does not require ventilation. There are also plastics which imitate wood or metal, and even have these integrated into the material!

What makes a good
3D pen?

So you think this whole 3D
pen thing might be a good idea, but what should you look for in a 3D pen? Which
attributes do you value as a consumer? These are the ones which we have found
to be the most critical:

1. Speed

One of the most important
attributes of a good 3D pen is the speed at which the pen extrudes the
material, which determines the maximum drawing speed. This is because the user
can only move the pen at such a rate so that the thread of filament is not too
thin and does not break. Most 3D pens have a few different speed settings.

2. Strength and Retraction

Another component of 3D pen
quality is the strength of the structures which it can build. This is largely
determined by the filament, which is independent of the pen. However, each pen
has a different nozzle and heating mechanism, which does contribute to the
strength and sturdiness of the drawings. Retraction is where the pen sucks back
a little bit of the filament at the end of an extrusion. This is often
desirable and an intentional feature. It makes for tighter and less stringy
lines. Not every pen has this feature so be sure to check that out before you
buy.

3. Features

Every 3D pen is unique and
will have different features which you may or may not desire. One feature
common to most of them is the speed function. Some 3D pens might have only two
settings: fast and slow. Other pens might have five or six. It will be somewhat
subjective to the user to determine how many speed options they want. Some
users might want the simplicity of only two settings and would find the extra
ones unnecessary. Other users, however, might need their pen to make more
precise drawings and therefore will want the extra speed options. Another
feature that some of the more advanced pens have is the ability to control the
temperature of the extruder head. This allows the user to adjust the time at
which the filament will harden. An additional feature to consider is the power
source. You may prefer a battery powered pen so you can draw anywhere and not
have to deal with the power cable in the way of your drawings. On the other
hand, you may want it wired so that you don’t have to worry about charging it.

4. Comfortability

As with any tool you use,
you are going to want the device to be comfortable and ergonomic, especially if
you plan on spending a lot of time with your 3D pen in your hand. If you can,
the best thing to do before you buy a 3D pen is to try out a couple different
ones and see which one feels the most comfortable.

5. Price

Lastly, price is the attribute which might have to most impact on a user’s choice of 3D pen. For the most part, you get what you pay for. There are decent pens in the $50 range and there are great pens for $100 or more. Choosing how much money to lay down for a 3D pen mostly comes down to what you want out of it. If you want precision, lots of speed, and extra features, you’re going to have to spend more for them. If those attributes are less important to you, there’s no sense in overspending.

Best 3D Pens on the Market Right Now

3Doodler Create ($79.99)

3Doodler
made the first 3D pen prototype in 2012 and still stands today as a flagship 3D
pen producer. They currently make three types of pens: Start, Create+, and the
Pro, which are designed for kids, general consumers, and professionals,
respectively. Their mid-range model, the Create+ is especially popular and
praised for its quality prints, ease of use, and reasonable price.

There have been reported cases when the pen stops working after a couple of minutes or days

Scribbler V3 ($99.00)

Next
up is the Scribbler V3. The Scribbler is a great option for a quality pen and
lots of features. It fits comfortably in the hand and the design, as well as
the performance are an improvement on their previous models. The main advantage
the Scribbler has over the 3Doodler is the extra features and adjustability.
The Scribbler allows you to adjust the temperature and has six discrete speeds,
as opposed to two on the 3Doodler. It also comes with an OLED display which
gives you real-time information about the pen. This pen is not as simple as
other pens, but if you’re looking for lots of control, definitely look into the
Scribbler.

AIO Robotics 3D Pen ($69.99)

The
3D pen from AIO Robotics is another great option for a comprehensive 3D pen
with a lot of control. The AIO is comparable to the Scribbler, but is different
in important ways. It has a nice weight to it and a sleeker design. However,
there are some filaments which the Scribbler can use, but not the AIO pen. It
is also cheaper so I recommend this pen over the Scribbler if you are not
working with exotic filaments.

TIPEYE 3D Pen ($39.99)

The
3D pen from TIPEYE is a great pen, especially for kids or someone on a budget.
This pen is a bit simpler than the others and a bit lower in quality. However,
it makes up for that in price, being about half the cost of the other pens on
this list. It is also great for kids because it is safe, easy to use, and
compatible with many different filaments.

Lix 3D Pen ($99.00)

Advertised
as the “smallest circular 3D pen in the world,” this is the Rolls-Royce of 3D
pens. Its design is extremely stylish and clean. It also extrudes beautifully
and makes consistently great drawings. It is a very simple pen, with only two
buttons for adjusting the speed. If you’re looking for a simplified, high
quality 3D pen, this is your best bet.

Registered and licensed Architect from the Philippines. I have worked in an established Architectural Design firm, Interior Design firm and Design-Build Architecture company. Aside from independent architectural projects, I work part-time as an associate of Arch. Micaela Benedicto. I am adept at Autodesk Autocad, Autodesk Revit, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Sketchup. I am also adept at doing 3D renderings with V-ray.

Registered and licensed Architect from the Philippines. I have worked in an established Architectural Design firm, Interior Design firm and Design-Build Architecture company. Aside from independent architectural projects, I work part-time as an associate of Arch. Micaela Benedicto. I am adept at Autodesk Autocad, Autodesk Revit, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Sketchup. I am also adept at doing 3D renderings with V-ray.